Beneath the Archers' Sky (Iskolar ng Bayan Series #1)

Chapter 35

Chapter 35

Author’s Note: before i end this story, i just want to say thank you. thank you for reading my work, i know it's not perfect. i know my writing is not good as the others writers that you know. but, i am very grateful because you showed support through reading my craft. thank you so much, and i will always be grateful for you. kung sino ka man, i hope you are doing good always. hindi ako makakarating dito kung hindi dahil sa 'yo, ikaw na patuloy nagbabasa ng mga akda ko. maraming maraming salamat, you are the best, i love you ! < 3

- dea

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It was our last day of the trip, and everything felt surreal. Alam kong hindi ito ordinaryong trip. Deep inside, I was trying to create memories with the people I love the most. Kung tutuusin, gusto kong i-enjoy ang bawat moment, but there’s always that weight in my chest—a constant reminder na hindi ko sila laging makakasama.

I took a deep breath as I walked towards the beach, the waves gently lapping against the shore. The sun was setting, painting the sky with hues of pink and orange. Gab was sitting by the shore, his silhouette framed against the warm light. I watched him for a moment, wondering how I got so lucky to have him back in my life, even if it was only for a little while.

“Macy!” He waved, catching me staring.

I smiled, walking towards him, trying to shake off the heaviness inside me. "Uy, anong ginagawa mo diyan? Para kang laging nag-iisip."

He chuckled softly, patting the spot beside him. "Alam mo naman, minsan kailangan din magmuni-muni. Come, sit."

I sat beside him, the cool sand pressing against my palms. Tahimik lang kaming dalawa, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. It felt... natural, like we didn’t need words to fill the space between us. The sound of the waves was soothing, pero nararamdaman ko na may gusto siyang sabihin.

After a few minutes, he broke the silence. "Macy... may matagal na akong gustong sabihin sa’yo."

I raised an eyebrow, turning to face him. "Huh? Ano yun?"

He hesitated, his eyes locked on the horizon, as if he was gathering the courage to continue. "We’ve known each other longer than you think."

Nagulat ako. “Anong sinasabi mo? Diba, ngayon lang tayo ulit nagkita after... everything?"

Gab laughed, though it was a little awkward, like he was embarrassed. "Actually... kilala na kita noon pa. High school pa lang, I knew who you were."

My mouth fell open, shocked by what he was saying. "Ha? Paano mo naman ako kilala nung high school?"

He smiled, his eyes softening with the memory. "I was a year ahead of you. Laging kitang nakikita sa school events, sa mga corridor. You were always with your friends, laging tumatawa, and... you just had this energy about you. You were... impossible to ignore."

Nagulat ako, biglang bumalik sa akin ang high school memories. "Teka, ibig sabihin, napapansin mo na ako noon?"

Gab nodded, his smile turning a bit sheepish. "Yeah. You probably don’t remember me, pero I remember you vividly. Laging kang masaya, energetic. You stood out... at least to me."

I shook my head, trying to process everything. "Grabe... ang weird pala. All this time, you knew me, pero hindi ko man lang napansin."

"Well, I wasn’t exactly the kind of guy na madaling mapansin. You were always surrounded by people, and ako... well, I was just admiring you from afar," he admitted, his voice soft, almost hesitant.

I laughed a little, not because it was funny, but because it felt surreal. "So... crush mo ako noon?"

Gab scratched the back of his neck, clearly embarrassed, but he didn’t deny it. "Yeah. Crush, admiration... whatever you want to call it. I’ve always been drawn to you, Macy."

Bigla akong natahimik. Hindi ko alam kung anong sasabihin. All this time, I had no idea. I had no idea that someone like Gab had been watching me from afar, noticing me in ways I never thought anyone would.

“Ang weird pala ng mundo, ano?” I muttered, mostly to myself. “Parang napaka-liit ng mundo.”

He smiled, a little sad. “Yeah... and sometimes, it brings people back together in ways you never expect.”

There was a pause, and I could feel the weight of his words hanging in the air. This wasn’t just a casual conversation—Gab was trying to tell me something more, something deeper.

“Alam mo, Gab... hindi ko alam na may ganito pala tayo. I mean, nung nagkita ulit tayo, I just thought... I thought it was a coincidence,” I said softly, my heart racing.

“It’s not just a coincidence,” he said, his voice low. “I believe na may reason kung bakit nagkita ulit tayo. I wasn’t able to tell you how I felt back then... but now, I can’t let that chance slip away again.”

My heart pounded in my chest as his words sank in. Gab wasn’t just talking about the past—he was talking about now, about us, about what we could be.

"Gab..." I started, my voice faltering. I didn’t know how to respond. Everything felt overwhelming, especially now that I knew my time was running out. How could I let myself feel something for him, knowing what was coming?

He reached for my hand, gently holding it in his. "I don’t expect anything from you, Macy. I just want to be honest. I’ve always admired you... and I still do. And if there’s even the slightest chance for us... I want to take it.”

Tears pricked my eyes, but I forced a smile, trying to hide the turmoil inside me. “Thank you, Gab. For being honest... and for telling me this.”

“I know it’s a lot to take in,” he said softly, his thumb brushing against the back of my hand. “And I don’t want to pressure you. I just... I want you to know how I feel. Kasi baka... baka may chance pa na maging tayo.”

I bit my lip, struggling to hold back the tears. “Gab, I... I don’t know. I don’t know what to say.”

“You don’t have to say anything now,” he reassured me, his eyes full of understanding. “I just wanted to tell you, before it’s too late.”

His words hit me like a ton of bricks. "Before it's too late." He didn’t know just how true those words were. My chest tightened, and I felt the urge to tell him everything right then and there—to tell him about my diagnosis, about the limited time I had left. But I couldn’t. Not yet.

“Gab...” I whispered, my voice shaking. “Thank you... for being here.”

He smiled, pulling me into a gentle hug. “Always, Macy. Always.”

And in that moment, I realized that no matter how much time I had left, I didn’t want to waste it. Not with Gab. Not with the people I loved.